Rundstrom's

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. A commonwealth in political union with the United States comprising most of the Mariana Islands (except Guam) in the western Pacific Ocean. The islands were part of the U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947 to 1978, when they became internally self-governing. The largest island, which serves as the capital, is Saipan. Population: 84,500.